Who says Parliament cannot be dissolved?

Colombo civil society owners, latest democratic campaigners and different types of “Yahapalanaya” apologists who suddenly woke up and found democracy in peril and rushed to the streets to save democracy and the constitution






by Kusal Perera

( November 8, 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) I see no reason why the parliament cannot be “constitutionally” dissolved immediately.

It is in very clear black and white letters written into the Constitution and that remains one of the very important provisions these stupid politicians have not been able to amend or change as yet. It’s the “Sovereignty of the People”.

Although the Colombo civil society owners, latest democratic campaigners and different types of “Yahapalanaya” apologists who suddenly woke up and found democracy in peril and rushed to the streets to save democracy and the constitution, did not have a semblance of decency and civility to come on the streets and oppose the 19A which violates People’s Sovereignty by denying the right of the people to change and elect a government for 04 years and 06 months.

This very selfishly crafted 19A for Ranil Wickramasinghe  to continue this time for 04 years and 06 months of the 05 year parliamentary life, the “redshirted UNP Marxists” helped draft and defend, completely contradicts Chapter I, article 3 of the Constitution which says, (quote) In the Republic of Sri Lanka sovereignty is in the People and is inalienable. Sovereignty includes the powers of government, fundamental rights and the franchise. (unquote)

The constitution in Chapter I also says how people can exercise their sovereignty. (quote) 4. The Sovereignty of the People shall be exercised and enjoyed in the following manner :– (a) the legislative power of the People shall be exercised by Parliament, consisting of elected representatives of the People and by the People at a Referendum (unquote)

Thus, there cannot be any doubt or confusion, the people’s “inalienable” sovereignty that therefore is non negotiable, overrides the 04 year and 06 months damper in 19A. People can and should enjoy the right to elect its ‘representatives’ to the parliament as and when they so desire and that cannot be decided by Presidents, Prime Ministers and others around them.

It is more than valid in a rabidly insane and unstable situation these politicians themselves created. It is not them who have the right to decide when elections can be held, but the “People”. That’s people’s sovereignty. This parliament that does not represent the will of the people and has been turned into a marketplace where numbers are traded for State power, should stand dissolved immediately under Chapter I article 3 of the Constitution, for people to elect their own parliament to govern themselves.